Category Archives: News

Throughout his 25-year career, singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston has developed a loyal following with his finely detailed story songs. His compositions tend to be filled with dark, broken characters, set to lithe, almost jaunty melodies — and are always highly original.

The title tune from his latest album, last fall’s “Neon Repairman,” breaks that tradition a bit because it sounds so familiar. It evokes Jimmy Webb’s 1968 classic “Wichita Lineman.”

I got a chance to talk to Johnston recently for The Journal News/lohud.com in advance of his show on Saturday night at The Purple Crayon in Hastings-on-Hudson. You can read it by tapping or clicking here.

Beacon was expecting to welcome singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco to the Towne Crier Café on Sunday night with a sell-out crowd of fans who paid $55 or more to see her.

The Towne Crier gang just got out the word that Bufalo’s Righteous Babe, whose last show was Saturday night at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead on Long Island, has lost her voice as a result of illness and won’t be appearing in Beacon tonight. The Town Crier promises to announce a makeup date “in the next few days.”

The club broke the disappointing news by email, and is offering discounts to patrons who are willing to visit the café for just a meal instead of dinner and show:

We were expecting a full house for the Ani DiFranco show tonight. But (as we’ve already informed you if you’re a ticket holder) she’s lost her voice due to illness and has to reschedule. New date is TBA. We’ll let you know ASAP.

Not only are we (like you) disappointed, we have a cooler full of food to prepare for the full house we were expecting. So tonight only, we’re offering all dinner guests 20% off their total bill. Tell your server the code phrase: “Get well, Ani.” Come on down—no reservation necessary. Spread the word!

If you wanted to check out DeFranco in an intimate venue, keep an eye on the Towne Crier website. Undoubtedly at least some ticketholders will be unable to make it to see DiFranco when the show gets rescheduled. I haven’t been to the new Towne Crier yet, but I’m betting it would be hard to beat as a place to see and hear a dynamic performer with a national following like DiFranco.

DiFranco tours fairly heavily, with 18 shows before the end of March listed on her website.

It’s unclear what’s ailing DiFranco. As of this writing, there’s nothing specifi on her website, Twitter, or Facebook accounts other than a cancellation notice.

At least one Twitter user says she put on a “great show” on Saturday night.

Unless my memory is truly failing me, it was Pic-a-Disc at Main and Franklin, in the space now home to Murasaki Japanese restaurant.D.S.Z. Barbers. I can’t recall the name of it, but it It was a pretty substantial place.

But it left town many years ago, moving to Nanuet — in the small strip center on Route 59 that’s home to the kids’ barber, Tiny Trims — before disappearing altogether.

More recently, there was the nearly invisible subterranean Vinyl Lounge on Broadway, but that’s closed.

Now Nyack singer-songwriter Jennifer O’Connor, who already has her own record label, Kiam, is expanding the brand by opening The Kiam Records Shopin a much more visible location: 95 Main Street, next to the Olde Village Inn. (To call for info: 845-353-5426)

O’Connor, an established artist, who mad two well-received albums for Matador and three other independent discs, moved to Nyack from Brooklyn in 2012. She’s already started presenting music at Prohibition River. Now she’ll be selling (and buying) new and used vinyl albums, books, clothing, and more in her new shop across the street from the restaurant.

It looks like O’Connor’s really committed to Nyack.

If you can’t be there when the doors open, please stop in sometime soon to check out O’Connor’s shop. (I hope to get there sometime on opening day.)

There’s a party from 6-9 p.m., when Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Nada Surf, Death of Samantha), will stop in before his show at Prohibition River to sign records and possibly play a few songs.

It’s good to shop small, and shop local. I’m betting you’ll find something for somebody on your holiday gift list — and maybe for yourself. And you’ll save yourself a trek to Brooklyn or Manhattan.

You may recognize singer-songwriter Jennifer O’Connor‘s name — perhaps for her two critically acclaimed Matador Records: Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back to the Stars in 2006 and Here With Me in 2008.

Since the end of her contract with Matador, O’Connor has continued to make music, which she’s released, along with the work of other artists, on Kiam, the record label she operates.

While she continues to perform her own material — she opened for Laura Cantrell at Rough Trade NYC in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, last month — she says lately she’s been doing music for TV shows, movies, and commercials.

O’Connor’s also became a Rocklander, moving to Nyack from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, late in 2012.

“I really love it out here,” she tells Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? by email.

Jennifer Castle

Recently, she added concert promoter to her list of vocations. She’s presenting shows in the upstairs room at Prohibition River, a bar and restaurant at 82 Main St. in Nyack. On Friday, Nov. 7, Jennifer Castle, a Toronto-based singer-songwriter, will do 2 sets, starting at 9 p.m.

The open-ended series will feature free concerts by artists — including O’Connor — from 9 p.m.to midnight, mostly on Fridays.

O’Connor says she started the series because she saw a need.

“I started booking shows at Prohibition because I think there is a need for more music (especially from touring acts) to come through town,” O’Connor says. “And it’s also proven to be a great way for me to get involved with the community — musically and just in general. It’s been a lot of fun so far.”

Here’s the schedule as of now, but O’Connor says to stay tuned for more artists to be added:

Northeast LA duo unleashing self-titled debut album on Sept. 2

The infectious sound of The Chew Toys makes them one of the most entertaining new bands in Los Angeles these days.

The self-proclaimed queercore duo comprises married couple Jay Tag and Kevin Dickson, who have been polishing — maybe refining is a better word — their punk sound with dozens of live shows around Northeast LA since 2012.

On Sept. 2, this local legend will take break out of LA and take on the unsuspecting world with their first album, a self-titled collection of 13 songs — 11 of which clock in at well under 3 minutes — that are sure to become earworms.

Boston music maven and mayoral adviser Joyce Linehan promises to continue her fight

Jonathan Richman (pictured above on Instagram with Lil BUB, the rockin’ Internet cat) says “Roadrunner,” the iconic Massachusetts anthem that may be the Modern Lovers founder’s best-known song, isn’t good enough be an official song of any kind for the Bay State.

And since the state legislature ended its session last Friday without taking action on a bill to make it the state’s official rock song, it looks like he’ll get his way — for now, at least.

But Joyce Linehan, policy adviser to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, vows that the fight’s not over.

“Roadrunner might not be the official rock song of the Commonwealth, but it’s certainly the unofficial,” Linehan posted to her Facebook page Tuesday.

But she followed up Wednesday morning with a stronger statement in response to a tweet from comedian John Hodgman, who has supported the “Roadrunner” effort.

For fans, “Family Album” will seem familiar, as they’ve incorporated songs fans have heard TNP play in concert or in other, less-structured, theater pieces over the years. And charismatic guitarist Christian Gibbs, who was a linchpin in Stew and Heidi’s breakthrough show, “Passing Strange,” steps forward to take a larger role in this show.

You’ll see what I mean by the familiarity when you watch the show’s video trailer and read the review in the Los Angeles Times. After you’ve had a look, go here for more information and to buy tickets.

Tickets have been selling well, but as of today, there are 16 performance dates for which seats are still available. Prices range from $25 to $99. Go here now for more information and tickets. The run ends Aug. 31.